1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a partition system and, in particular, to a partition system that may include a plurality of panels or partitions that can be interconnected into a variety of configurations and arrangements.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to use panels or panel systems to construct a variety of structures such as building partitions, utility sheds, tool sheds, furniture and containers. These known systems typically include one or more connectors that allow one or more panels to be connected.
A known type of connector that is used to connect two panels together are connector members that have a generally I-beam type configuration. In particular, these known connector members may have a generally I-shaped cross-section and each side of the I-beam type connector may be sized and configured to be attached to a panel. For example, one side of the I-beam type connector may form an edge portion that fits within slots in one of the panels. Thus, the sides of the I-beam type connector members may engage the edges of the panels to allow one or more of the panels to be connected. These types of conventional connector members allow the panels to be joined at a right angle or in a straight line.
Disadvantageously, these conventional I-beam type connector members are often elongated members that are difficult to attach to the panels. These elongated connector members are also relatively heavy, difficult to use and difficult to position in the desired locations. It is also known to use other types of connectors to interconnect one or more panels. These connectors, however, often include a number of parts and are complicated to use. In addition, many conventional connectors are constructed from metal, which is heavy and may include sharp edges. These metal connectors, which are typically exposed to the elements, may rust, deteriorate or otherwise weaken over time. Further, these metal components are often bent, twisted, or otherwise deformed from the desired configuration. For example, these metal components may be bent, twisted or deformed during shipping, assembly or use.
The panels used in connection with these known panels systems are made from a wide variety of materials. For example, known panels have been constructed from metal and all or a portion of the panels may be covered with fabric or other types of suitable materials. Disadvantageously, these panels are often heavy, difficult to move and ship, expensive to manufacture, and the panels generally require finishing such as sanding and/or painting.
It is also known to construct panels from materials such as plastic. The plastic panels, however, are often not sufficiently rigid and the panels often create a flimsy structure because the panels do not have adequate structural integrity. The plastic panels may also be difficult to securely interconnect and the plastic panels may buckle or crack.
Disadvantageously, the opposing sides of conventional plastic panels may be different. For example, the design on one side of the panel may be different from the design on the other side of the panel. Thus, the panels are not truly interchangeable because the sides of the panels must be arranged in a particular relationship. For instance, one side of the panels may include various recesses and indentations caused during the manufacturing process. This may create a panel that has a generally smooth surface on one side and an opposing side that includes a number of bumps and bulges. The opposing sides of the panels may also include one or more beams or other similar structures that are designed to increase the strength of the panels. Significantly, the different opposing sides of the panels may limit the usefulness of the panels. In particular, only one side of the panel may be aesthetically pleasing and it may be desirable to hide the other side from view. Accordingly, because conventional panels constructed from plastic often include opposing sides that have different configurations, the usefulness of the panels may be limited. In addition, one or more sides of conventional plastic panels often include imperfections or other types of visual defects that are created during the manufacturing process. This may also limit the usefulness of the panels.
These known plastic panels may be constructed or formed into the desired shapes and sizes using a blow-molding process. As known to those skilled in the art, blow-molded plastic structures often include an outer wall that encloses a hollow interior space. Conventional panels constructed from blow-molded plastic, however, are typically not high-strength components because, for example, of the hollow interior space. In fact, conventional blow-molded panels are often relatively low-strength, which may allow the panels to buckle or fail.
In order to increase the strength of conventional blow-molded structures, it is known to form structures with integral plastic ribs or beams. These ribs are generally large, elongated portions that require thicker outer walls so that the ribs are correctly formed in the structure. Disadvantageously, the thicker outer walls of the ribs require additional plastic materials be used to create the structure, which increases costs and weight. In addition, the thicker outer walls retain more heat during the manufacturing process. Thus, a longer cooling time is required during the manufacturing process in order to allow the thicker outer walls to cool. This undesirably increases the time of the manufacturing process because blow-molded structures cannot be removed from the mold until the structures are sufficiently cooled.
While the large strengthening ribs may be designed to prevent large portions of the blow-molded plastic structures from sagging, the ribs may allow smaller, localized portions of the structure to bend or sag. Additionally, because many strengthening ribs are large and have an elongated length, the ribs may support localized portions of the structure differently than the other portions of the structure. Thus, the opposing surfaces of conventional blow-molded structures may be uneven because different portions of the structures are supported differently.